介 meaning and stroke order
Agent, go-between, intermediary; to introduce; shell, armor
How to write 介, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 介
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to introduce
- to lie between
- between
- shell
- armor
How 介 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A border 八 dividing people 人.
Radical: 人 (man), shared by 30 characters on this site.
How to remember 介
介 shows a person 人 on top with two strokes below, which the etymology describes as a border dividing people. Picture someone standing in the middle between two sides, the go-between who introduces one person to another.
介 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. It lives in words like 介绍 (jièshào, to introduce), 中介 (zhōngjiè, agent) and 介意 (jièyì, to mind). Example: 我来介绍一下。(Wǒ lái jièshào yíxià.) Let me introduce you.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 介 with 今 (jīn, now), which has the same 人 top but a different shape below. In 介 the bottom is just two separate downward strokes, with no horizontal line or hook.
Common words with 介
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 介绍 | jièshào | to introduce (sb to sb); to give a presentation | HSK 1 |
| 中介 | zhōngjiè | to act as intermediary; to link | HSK 4 |
| 简介 | jiǎnjiè | summary; brief introduction | HSK 6 |
| 介意 | jièyì | to care about; to take offense | HSK 7-9 |
| 介入 | jièrù | to intervene; to get involved | HSK 7-9 |
| 介于 | jièyú | between; intermediate | HSK 7-9 |
| 自我介绍 | zìwǒjièshào | self-introduction; to introduce oneself | |
| 媒介 | méijiè | intermediary; vehicle |
介 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 介
Learning 介 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 介
How many strokes are in 介?
介 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 介 mean?
介 (jiè) means agent, go-between, intermediary; to introduce; shell, armor. A common word with it is 介绍 (jièshào), meaning "to introduce (sb to sb); to give a presentation".
How do you pronounce 介?
介 is pronounced jiè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 介?
The radical of 介 is 人, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 介 under this radical.
Is 介 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 介 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
How do I say I don't mind in Chinese using 介?
Say 我不介意 (wǒ bú jièyì), meaning I don't mind. You can also ask 你介意吗? (nǐ jièyì ma?), Do you mind?
What does 中介 mean when looking for an apartment?
In daily life 中介 (zhōngjiè) usually means a real estate or rental agent, the middleman between landlord and tenant. People often say 房屋中介 (fángwū zhōngjiè) or just 中介.